Funky facts

29 million cows live in Ethiopia! There are just 10 million in the UK. Moo!

Many farmers in Africa have tiny plots of land, because the land that is good for growing things has to be shared out between lots of people. They use old-fashioned tools, and animals for ploughing.

In Kenya a farm is called a 'shamba'.

Sometimes people in poor countries can't grow enough food to eat or do not have enough money to buy food. When this happens, they go hungry.

It's great to be a farmer…
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When the harvest is good, you have plenty to eat, and can sell your crop to buy other things you need. You can also choose whether to use pesticides or chemicals on your crops.

You don't have to go to the supermarket to buy food!

It's fun when the whole village helps out at harvest-time .

…but there are problems too.

It's not always easy to grow enough crops to feed your family. What's more, you always need extra things, like medicines. But you may not be able to sell your crops to get the money to pay for them.

Growing the same crops on the same plot of land every year means you may harm your farmland.

You have to work hard every single day!

A?4U Would you like to be a farmer in Africa? What would you like to do when you're older?
Write a letter to Postbox.

Click here for a real-life story and a puzzle

Gus Clarke

More people in the world are farmers than do any other job!